# grant

/ˈɡɹænt/ (US) · /ɡɹˈɑːnt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/grant
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. to give officially

verb · CEFR B2 · Formal

to give someone what they asked for, such as permission, money, or a wish.

For teachers: to bestow or confer something formally, typically in response to a request or petition.

- The council decided to grant him permission to build the new garage.
- The university committee voted to grant the researcher full access to the restricted archives for the duration of her project.

Usage: Often used as a ditransitive verb: to grant someone something.

### 2. to admit something is true

verb · CEFR B2 · Academic

to agree that something is true, even if you do not like it or are still arguing.

For teachers: to concede or acknowledge the validity of a point for the sake of argument.

- I grant that the plan is expensive, but I still think it is necessary.
- While I grant that the initial data was flawed, the subsequent findings remain statistically significant and deserve further investigation.

### 3. money for a purpose

noun · CEFR B2

an amount of money given by a government or organization for a special purpose, like education or research.

For teachers: a sum of money provided by a government, local authority, or fund for a specific project or purpose.

- She applied for a government grant to help pay for her university fees.
- The research team secured a substantial federal grant to investigate the long-term effects of microplastics on marine ecosystems.

### 4. legal transfer

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical · Formal

the legal act of giving property or rights to someone else.

For teachers: the formal transfer of property or rights by deed or other written instrument.

- The grant of the land was recorded in the city's official documents.
- The original royal grant ensured that the local community retained grazing rights on the common land in perpetuity.

### 5. fifty-dollar bill

noun · CEFR C2 · American English · Slang

a slang term for a fifty-dollar bill in the United States.

For teachers: a fifty-dollar banknote in the United States, named after President Ulysses S. Grant whose portrait appears on it.

- He pulled a grant out of his wallet to pay for the dinner.
- The street vendor looked suspiciously at the crisp Grant, checking the watermark before handing over the change.

Teaching tip: This is a very specific Americanism; learners should use 'fifty-dollar bill' in most contexts.

## Examples

- She received a grant to study biology abroad.
- The local community center applied for a government grant to repair the leaking roof and install solar panels.
- Securing a research grant requires a meticulous proposal that demonstrates both the project's feasibility and its potential contribution to the existing body of scientific knowledge.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.